Formulation Of Functional Foods Research Articles

Flavonoid-rich wheatgrass (Triticum aestivum L.) diet attenuates diabetes by modulating antioxidant genes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Wheatgrass, young germinated shoots of Triticum aestivum L., is proclaimed as antidiabetic nutraceutical by traditional medicines across the world. In this study, the effects of the wheatgrass diet in ameliorating oxidative stress (OS) induced during diabetes were investigated. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents (TPC and TFC) and in vitro antioxidant activity of wheatgrass extract were estimated at different days (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15) after germination. Correlating the TPC and TFC with in vitro antioxidant activity, 9th DAG wheatgrass was found to possess maximum antioxidant potential. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis also revealed the presence of nine flavonoids. For in vivo studies, diabetes was induced by streptozotocin in Wistar rats fed with a high-fat diet. Concomitant administration of 9th-day wheatgrass diet (200 and 400mg/kg) for 60days exhibited significant improvements in hyperglycemia, body weight, lipid profile, biochemical indices (AST, ALT, GSH, GPx), and restoration of tissue architectures equivalent to normal rats. Further, qRT-PCR-based expression profiling revealed a significant modulation of major antioxidant marker genes and insulin gene which substantiated that the wheatgrass diet is effective in reducing OS during diabetes. Therefore, flavonoid-rich 9th-day wheatgrass could be used as a functional food to control diabetes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The present research supported that wheatgrass protects against oxidative stress and therefore could be utilized to ameliorate diabetes. The findings may contribute to the development and formulation of wheatgrass-based functional food or dietary supplement for diabetes by nutraceutical industries.

Actividad sinbiótica in vitro de Lactobacillus plantarum encapsulado con mezclas de mucílago de Aloe vera, fructanos de agave y aditivos alimenticios como materiales de pared

In recent years, the development of functional and synbiotic food products has been focused on the study of synbiotic matrices, were a prebiotic and a probiotic are combined to increase the health benefits to the host. In this work the in vitro synbiotic activities of Lactobacillus plantarum microcapsules with Aloe vera mucilage, high degree of polymerization agave fructans and food additives as wall materials were evaluated. The synbiotic behavior was assessed by rheological mucoadhesion, simulation of gastrointestinal digestion, growth inhibition of pathogens, antibiotic activity of extracellular metabolites and viability of the probiotic during storage at room and refrigeration temperatures. Rheological studies demonstrated that the biopolymer mixture interact with intestinal adhesion proteins (mucin) by the formation of weak gels with hydrogen bonds. During the simulated gastrointestinal digestion, the viability of the microorganism released from mixtures with arabic gum increases after two hours, which evidence microorganism release from the capsule. The extracellular metabolites extract (e.g. butyric, lactic and acetic acids) proved to be significantly more effective in the growth inhibition of pathogens and the storage viability reduction is lower than 0.5 log CFU/g after 70 days. To our knowledge, these results show for the first time, that microcapsules of a known probiotic encapsulated with Aloe vera mucilage, agave fructans of high degree of polymerization and arabic gum, do behave as a synbiotic matrix, guaranteeing that the probiotic will produce potential health benefits and could be used in the formulation of functional foods and products.

β‐cyclodextrin enhanced ultrasound‐assisted extraction as a green method to recover olive pomace bioactive compounds

Olive pomace, a by-product of the olive oil industry, is a source of valuable antioxidant compounds. This study aimed to optimize a green extraction method, combining ultrasound, stirring, and β-cyclodextrin (BCD) aqueous solutions to recover the bioactive compounds from this olive by-product. The optimal conditions to maximize extraction yields of antioxidant compounds in water or ethanol were: solid-to-solvent ratio 1:20 w/w, ultrasonication time 10 min, stirring time 21 hrs, and extraction temperature 60°C. The addition of BCD to water allowed to improve the extraction of bioactive compounds. Furthermore, the analysis of freeze-dried extracts using differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and colorimetry showed that BCD interacted with certain olive pomace bioactive compounds. The presence of BCD modified the dehydrated extract's physical properties (stability, hygroscopicity, and appearance). Results showed that the studied BCD ultrasound-assisted extraction method could be an attractive and ecological option to extract the value-added compounds from industrial by-products. Practical applications Olive pomace is produced in massive quantities each year worldwide, which is an environmental concern. Therefore, the extraction of its phenolic compounds and unsaturated fatty acids can contribute significantly to this olive by-product management and generate additional income for farmers and producers. Although the present study outlines a green extraction method at a laboratory scale, it can be scaled up since the studied technologies are available for industrial applications. The β-cyclodextrin ultrasound-assisted extraction is proposed as a green method to obtain a powdered ingredient with antioxidant properties, which could be applied in the development of functional food formulations.

Isolation, production and application of fibrinolytic enzyme from fermented food sources

The accumulation of the fibrin in bacterial fibrinolytic enzymes finds applications to treat and prevent cardiovascular diseases which fail in hemostasis that leads to the formation of undesirable blood clots in the blood vessels leading to condition called thrombosis. The fibrinolytic enzymes from food grade organisms are useful for thrombolytic therapy. Conventional thrombolytic agents such as streptokinase, nattokinase etc. Nattokinase is one such fibrinolytic enzyme with a wide range of applications in Pharmaceutical industry, health care and medicine etc. Hence, potent blood-clot dissolving protein used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases is produced by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis during the fermentation of soybeans to produce Natto. The health benefits of some fermented foods are synthesis of nutrients, prevention of cancer, diabetes due to presence of functional microorganisms, which possess probiotics properties, antimicrobial, antioxidant, etc. The first report of fibrinolytic enzyme production of cow dung used as a cheap substrate from Bacillus species in SSF has been given earlier. This review describes different isolation methods which enable the screening and selection of promising organisms for industrial production. The purification and properties of these fibrinolytic proteases is discussed, and the use of fibrinolytic enzyme. In order to obtain Bacillus species producing fibrinolytic enzymes, the fermented food sample such as sprouted grain and processed grain etc were used. The heat tolerant isolates initially were selected for catalase test. Fibrinolytic activity of the selected isolates was determined by using Fibrin plate assay. From the above work, it can be concluded that the fibrinolytic enzyme produced by Bacillus from fermented food samples had the ability to degrade the fibrin and hence can be used for functional food formulation.

In vitro Antioxidant, Cytotoxic and Antidiabetic Activities of Protein Hydrolysates Prepared from Chinese Pond Turtle (Chinemys reevesii).

SUMMARYResearch backgroundCardiovascular diseases and diabetes are the biggest causes of death globally. Bioactive peptides derived from many food proteins using enzymatic proteolysis and food processing have a positive impact on the prevention of these diseases. The bioactivity of Chinese pond turtle muscle proteins and their enzymatic hydrolysates has not received much attention, thus this study aims to investigate their antioxidant, antidiabetic and cytotoxic activities.Experimental approachChinese pond turtle muscles were hydrolysed using four proteolytic enzymes (Alcalase, Flavourzyme, trypsin and bromelain) and the degrees of hydrolysis were measured. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was conducted to explore the amino acid profiles and molecular mass distribution of the hydrolysates. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using various in vitro tests, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, chelating Fe2+ and lipid peroxide inhibition activity. Antidiabetic activity was evaluated using α-amylase inhibition and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. Besides, cytotoxic effect of hydrolysates on human colon cancer (HT-29) cells was assessed.Results and conclusionsThe amino acid composition of the hydrolysates revealed higher mass fractions of glutamic, aspartic, lysine, hydroxyproline and hydrophobic amino acids. Significantly highest inhibition of lipid peroxidation was achieved when hydrolysate obtained with Alcalase was used. Protein hydrolysate produced with Flavourzyme had the highest radical scavenging activity measured by DPPH (68.32%), ABTS (74.12%) and FRAP (A700 nm=0.300) assays, α-glucosidase (61.80%) inhibition and cytotoxic effect (82.26%) on HT-29 cell line at 550 µg/mL. Hydrolysates obtained with trypsin and bromelain had significantly highest (p<0.05) hydroxyl radical scavenging (92.70%) and Fe2+ metal chelating (63.29%) activities, respectively. The highest α-amylase (76.89%) inhibition was recorded when using hydrolysates obtained with bromelain and Flavourzyme.Novelty and scientific contributionEnzymatic hydrolysates of Chinese pond turtle muscle protein had high antioxidant, cytotoxic and antidiabetic activities. The findings of this study indicated that the bioactive hydrolysates or peptides from Chinese pond turtle muscle protein can be potential ingredients in pharmaceuticals and functional food formulations.

Formulation of a Yogurt Co-fermented with Carrot Juice (&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Daucus carota&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;) and Evaluation of Its Nutritional Potential in the Fight Against Avitaminosis A

The WHO recommends the formulation and use of functional foods in response to persistent public health problems. There is a renewed interest in developing new products based on milk and fruit and vegetables to tackle certain public health problems. Avitaminosis A is a disease that affects thousands of people worldwide, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to contribute to the fight against Avitaminosis A in Cameroon, this study aims to formulate a yoghurt rich in provitamin A and to evaluate its nutritional potential. It is a yoghurt co-fermented with carrot juice which has the characteristics of a functional food. Five samples of co-fermented yoghurt were formulated and coded respectively YN, YC1, YC2, YC3, YC4 for the plain yoghurt made from 100% milk, then with increasing percentages of carrot juice substitution (70, 80, 90, 100% (V/V)) to reconstitute the milk. Physicochemical (pH and titratable acidity), nutritional (water content, total ash, crude protein, total lipids, total carbohydrates, crude fibers, vitamin C, β-carotene), sensory (color, taste, consistency, smell and general acceptability), microbiological (total coliforms, yeasts, molds and salmonella) analyses were carried out on the different formulated samples. From the results obtained, it appears that carrot juice significantly affects (p<0.05) the pH, titratable acidity and dry matter of the different yogurts. The incorporation of this juice leads to an increase in protein, total sugar, crude fibers, ash, vitamin C and β-carotene content, but a decrease in lipid content (p<0.05). Refrigerated storage at 4°C did not significantly (p<0.05) change the pH and acidity of the yoghurts. Microbiological analysis revealed that all co-fermented yoghurts were fit for consumption. The results of the general acceptability showed that YN and YC3 yoghurts were the most appreciated by the panelists. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the yoghurt with 90% carrot juice (YC3) was the most correlated with β-carotene, vitamin C and crude fibers. Also, this sample has contents of 3.91% protein, 5.03% crude fibers, 3.20 mg β-carotene, 4.26 mg vitamin C. From the point of view of sensory analysis and PCA, this yoghurt was the best and could be recommended in the diet to contribute to the fight against vitamin A deficiency.

Mycochemical Screening and Study of Medicinal Properties of Two Amanita Species (Agaricomycetes) from Pakistan.

Fresh basidiocarps of Amanita cinnamomescens and A. pakistanica were collected from Ayubia-Khanspur, Pakistan, during the 2018 monsoon season. Basidiocarps of A. cinnamomescens and A. pakistanica were evaluated for their mycochemicals, mineral composition, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. The percentage yield of extracts ranged from 4.13% to 18.20%. The extracts contained noticeable total phenolic contents (0.043 ± 0.02 to 0.046 ± 0.01 mg/g) and total flavonoid contents (0.090 ± 0.004 to 0.0935 ± 0.003 mg/g) and good radical scavenging ability according to the ABTS assay (79.74% ± 0.03% to 85.34% ± 0.02%) and the DPPH radical assay (35.77% ± 0.01% to 44.77% ± 0.003%). In addition, the tested extracts showed substantial antimicrobial activity, which ranged from 10 ± 0.33 to 32.66 ± 0.33 mm. Both mushrooms were also analyzed for their mineral content (sodium, potassium, calcium, nickel, cobalt, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, and iron). It was concluded that A. cinnamomescens and A. pakistanica can be used as a potential source for formulation of dietary functional foods and pharmaceuticals with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. To our knowledge, this is the first report on in vitro biological activities and mycochemical analysis of A. pakistanica and A. cinnamomescens from Pakistan.

Peganum spp.: A Comprehensive Review on Bioactivities and Health-Enhancing Effects and Their Potential for the Formulation of Functional Foods and Pharmaceutical Drugs.

The genus Peganum includes four species widely distributed in warm temperate to subtropical regions from the Mediterranean to Mongolia as well as certain regions in America. Among these species, Peganum harmala L., distributed from the Mediterranean region to Central Asia, has been studied and its phytochemical profile, traditional folk use, and application in pharmacological and clinical trials are well known. The review is aimed at presenting an insight into the botanical features and geographical distribution of Peganum spp. along with traditional folk uses. This manuscript also reviews the phytochemical profile of Peganum spp. and its correlation with biological activities evidenced by the in vitro and in vivo investigations. Moreover, this review gives us an understanding of the bioactive compounds from Peganum as health promoters followed by the safety and adverse effects on human health. In relation to their multipurpose therapeutic properties, various parts of this plant such as seeds, bark, and roots present bioactive compounds promoting health benefits. An updated search (until December 2020) was carried out in databases such as PubMed and ScienceDirect. Chemical studies have presented beta-carboline alkaloids as the most active constituents, with harmalol, harmaline, and harmine being the latest and most studied among these naturally occurring alkaloids. The Peganum spp. extracts have shown neuroprotective, anticancer, antimicrobial, and antiviral effects. The extracts are also found effective in improving respiratory disorders (asthma and cough conditions), dermatoses, and knee osteoarthritis. Bioactivities and health-enhancing effects of Peganum spp. make it a potential candidate for the formulation of functional foods and pharmaceutical drugs. Nevertheless, adverse effects of this plant have also been described, and therefore new bioproducts need to be studied in depth. In fact, the design of new formulations and nanoformulations to control the release of active compounds will be necessary to achieve successful pharmacological and therapeutic treatments.

Effect of dietary protein and genetic line of Litopenaeus vannamei on its hepatopancreatic microbiota

Host genetics and diet can exert an influence on microbiota and, therefore, on feeding efficiency. This study evaluated the effect of genetic line (fast-growth and high-resistance) in Pacific white shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) on the hepatopancreatic microbiota and its association with the feeding efficiency in shrimp fed with diets containing different protein sources. Shrimp (2.08 ± 0.06 g) from each genetic line were fed for 36 days with two dietary treatments (animal and vegetable protein). Each of the four groups was sampled, and the hepatopancreatic metagenome was amplified using specific primers for the variable V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. The PCR product was sequenced on the MiSeq platform. Nineteen bacterial phyla were detected, of which Proteobacteria was the most abundant (51.0 – 72.5 %), Bacteroidetes (3.6 – 23.3 %), Firmicutes (4.2 – 13.7 %), Actinobacteria (1.9 – 12.1 %), and Planctomycetes (1.3 – 9.5 %). Diet was the most influential factor in the taxonomic composition of the microbiota, while genetic line was not a strong influential factor. The results suggest that the taxonomic profile of the bacteria colonizing shrimp hepatopancreas was determined by the diet consumed, similar to what occurs in the intestine. Shrimp in the fast-growth line had greater feeding efficiency regardless of the diet supplied. Finally, the results suggest that Proteobacteria influenced ( p < 0.05) the feeding efficiency of shrimp fed with a vegetable diet. Nevertheless, further studies are required to explore how shrimp genetic line–diet interaction influences microbiota for probiotic development and functional food formulation for farmed shrimp according to the genetic line.

Uvaia (Eugenia pyriformis Cambess) residue as a source of antioxidants: An approach to ecofriendly extraction

Aqueous ultrasound assisted extraction, followed by membrane concentration, was first used to concentrate the bioactive compounds of Uvaia residue (seed and peel). The extract, obtained under ideal conditions of 40 °C, 2.5 min, and 40% of amplitude, was concentrated using reverse osmosis, and presented relatively low fouling (39%). At the end of the sequential processes, a concentrate (CF) was obtained with an increase of 6.2 times for phenolics (332.22 mg GAE/100 g), and 7.8 times for total flavonoids (1300.18 mg/100 g) compared to the initial extract (RS). A significant increase was observed by HPLC-DAD/UV–vis for the concentration of compounds. Fifteen compounds were putatively identified by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. The obtained concentrate was produced naturally, which can be used as a source of antioxidants in the development of functional food formulations, nutraceuticals or also by pharmaceutical industries.

Antarctic fungus proteases generate bioactive peptides from caseinate

The extracellular serine protease produced by Acremonium sp. L1-4B isolated from the Antarctic continent, was purified and used for the proteolysis of bovine and caprine sodium caseinate. Protein hydrolysates were evaluated in vitro to determine their antioxidant and antihypertensive potential, and later characterized by mass spectrometry. Bovine and caprine hydrolysates produced over 24 h showed a higher content of copper chelation (25.8 and 31.2% respectively), also at this time the ABTS+• scavenging was 65.2% (bovine sample) and 67.5% (caprine sample), and bovine caseinate hydrolysate (8 h) exhibited higher iron chelation capacity (43.1%). Statistically (p < 0.05), caprine caseinate hydrolysates showed relatively higher antioxidant potential in this study. All hydrolysates showed antihypertensive potential; however peptides released from caprine caseinate after 8 h of hydrolysis were able to inhibit 75% of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. Nano-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis prospected a total of 23 different peptide sequences in the bovine hydrolysate fraction, originated from the αS1- and β-casein chain, whilst in caprine hydrolysate, 31 sequences were detected, all from β-casein. The low molecular weight bovine and caprine hydrolysates obtained in this research have the potential to act in the prevention of disorders caused by oxidative reactions and in the regulation of blood pressure. These findings support the development of new functional food and nutraceutical formulations.

Functional Ingredients from Agri-Food Waste: Effect of Inclusion Thereof on Phenolic Compound Content and Bioaccessibility in Bakery Products.

Reducing food loss and waste is among the efforts to relieve the pressure on natural resources and move towards more sustainable food systems. Alternative pathways of food waste management include valorization of by-products as a source of phenolic compounds for formulation of functional foods. Bakery products may act as an optimal carrier of phenolic compounds upon fortification. The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the effect that the inclusion of functional ingredients from agri-food waste can have on phenolic content and bioaccessibility in bakery products. To this aim, methods for the recovery of phenolic compounds from agri-food waste are presented, and fortification of bakery products by waste from fruits, vegetables, and seed crops is discussed. Bioaccessibility studies on fortified food products are considered to identify gaps and needs in developing sustainable healthy foods. Fruit and vegetable by-products are among the food wastes mostly valorized as functional ingredients in bakery product formulation. Agri-food waste inclusion level has shown to correlate positively with the increase in phenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Nevertheless, further studies are required to assess bioaccessibility and bioavailability of phenolic compounds in enriched food products to estimate the potential of agri-food waste in promoting human health and well-being.

Identification and probiotic potential of lactic acid bacteria from camel milk.

In the present study, a total of 80 presumed lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from camel milk. Selected LAB were identified as Lactococcus lactis (cam 12), Enterococcus lactis (cam 14) and Lactobacillus plantarum (cam 15) and their potential were tested by tolerance & de-conjugation of bile salts, antimicrobial activity, surface hydrophobicity and adhesion potential) along with this of probiotics were evaluated for curd formation and assessed for sensory properties and syneresis. Selected LABs showed antimicrobial activity against wide range of pathogenic bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus and Escherchiaia. coli). LAB (cam 12, cam 14 and cam15) were highly sceptible to chloramphenicol, vancomycin, and tetracyclin. In vitro adhesion studies with Caco-2 cells demonstrated strong adhesion activity with hydrophobicity (99%) was observed. Acute oral toxicity of E. lactis and L. plantarum showed non-toxic, non-virulent and safe for industrial application. The study provides potential LAB which may act as a substitute of functional food, synthetic feed and industrial curd formulation with in the shortest span (240min at 28-32°C).

Effect of walnut (Juglans sigillata) oil on intestinal antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunity, and gut microbiota modulation in mice.

The study investigated the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunity, and gut microbiota modulation in mice (n=60; 15 mice/group) after intragastric administration of walnut oil (WO; three groups (low (LD), medium (MD), and high doses (HD): 2.5, 5, and 10ml/kg, respectively) and normal control (NC, saline). WO significantly increased the median villous height/crypt depth (VH/CD) ratio, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in intestinal mucosa. WO exerted the anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the duodenal mucosa. All groups shared 157 operational taxonomic units (OTUs; 97% similarity) representing nine phyla. The relative abundance in gut microbiota shifted from more pathogenic bacteria-Helicobacter (NC: 22% versus MD: 3%) toward probiotic-Lactobacillus (NC: 19% versus MD: 40%). The immune organ index (spleen) and contents of secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) were increased from small intestine. In conclusion, WO decreased the oxidative stress, inflammation, and improved the immunity and beneficial gut microbiota in the mice. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Walnut oil (WO) is widely used in traditional medicine around the world and is prescribed as beneficial food oil in agro-industry. However, the intestinal benefits of WO have not been explored extensively, and even its therapeutic mechanism still remains unknown in modern medicine. In this study, WO from Juglans sigillata was investigated for its preventive and protective effects on the intestinal mucosa in mice including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunity, and gut microbiota modulation. WO decreased the oxidative stress, inflammation, and improved immunity and beneficial gut microbiota in the mice. WO has shown strong probiotic effect on the gut, and thus, can be considered as a potential candidate in food. The study outcome would enhance utilization of WO for the prevention of gastrointestinal diseases (e.g., Helicobacter, etc.) both in animals and human (inflammatory bowel diseases, IBD) and the formulation of functional foods.

Cake Perception, Texture and Aroma Profile as Affected by Wheat Flour and Cocoa Replacement with Carob Flour.

Carob flour has been used in the production of a wide range of functional food formulations such as bakery goods either as a natural sweetener or food ingredient that, when roasted, exerts a chocolate/cocoa-reminiscent flavor and color. The aim of the present study was twofold; firstly to study the effect of an increasing incorporation of roasted carob flour (0–70% flour basis) on the quality and sensory attributes of a conventional cocoa cake recipe and secondly to investigate the obtained volatile fraction responsible for the aroma by means of headspace solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) technique coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) while comparing it with the control, cocoa-containing cake recipe. Thirty and fifty percent carob flour incorporation rendered cakes with acceptable texture and sensory attributes, comparable to the control cake recipe containing 20% cocoa. Similarity to cocoa aroma was attributed to a great number of odor active compounds mainly belonging to aldehydes, lactones, furan/pyran derivatives, and pyrrole derivatives.

Phenolic and protein contents of differently prepared protein co-precipitates from flaxseed and soybean and antioxidant activity and angiotensin inhibitory activity of their phenolic fractions

The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic and protein contents of differently prepared protein co-precipitates (Co) from flaxseed and soybean and to determine the antioxidant activity and inhibitory activity towards angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) of their phenolic constituents. Protein co-precipitates were prepared by alkaline extraction involving mixing flaxseed (F) and soybean (S) powders (Mp) or flaxseed and soybean extracts (Me), followed by isoelectric (Ie) precipitation or Ie and heating (Ie-He). The highest protein contents and yields were obtained with Co-Me/Ie (53.28% and 25.58%, respectively) and Co-Me/Ie-He (46.84% and 19.87%), which also contained relatively high amounts of total phenolics (8.10 and 8.57 mg GAE/g). Co-Me/Ie contained more total bound phenolics (4.33 mg GAE/g) than total free phenolics (3.76 mg GAE/g), while Co-Me/Ie-He co-precipitates were richer in free phenolics (4.82 mg/g). Several free phenolic (FP) and bound phenolic (BP) fractions from Co-Me/Ie (FP-50 °C), Co-Mp/Ie (FP-50 °C and BP-base), Co-Me/Ie-He (FP-50 °C) and Co-Mp/Ie-He (FP-50 °C and BP-base) had the highest antioxidant activity, ranging from 24.7% to 29.6%. ACE inhibitory activity of the BP-acid fraction from Co-Me/Ie and FP-25 °C fraction from Co-Mp/Ie-He were the highest (44.6% and 47.5%). Findings suggest that protein co-precipitates from flaxseed and soybean extracts (Co-Me/Ie and Co-Me/Ie-He) have a high potential for use as protein and phenolic-rich functional ingredients that may benefit the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals with antioxidant and antihypertensive properties.

Xylo-oligosaccharide microparticles with synbiotic potential obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane straw

Synbiotic formulations and microencapsulation techniques have been explored in food industries to guarantee the viability of probiotic organisms; playing an important role in microbiota balance. Microparticles of alginate, gelatin and xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) were produced by external gelation with the purpose of enhancing the survival rate of the probiotic L. acidophilus. XOS was obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis of xylan extracted from sugarcane straw, achieving more than 70% conversion and used for microparticle preparation. Microparticles containing 3% XOS provided greater cell protection during exposure to the gastrointestinal tract and during refrigerated storage; keeping 97.86 ± 0.44% of viability during 28 days of storage and enabling 87.50 ± 0.02% survival after digestive simulation. However, particles without XOS showed 84.49 ± 0.59% of viability after storage and 68.45 ± 0.03% after digestion assay. These results lead to promising applications in synbiotic and functional food formulations comprised of components requiring extended shelf-life, protection from gastrointestinal conditions and gradual bioactive delivery.

Spray Drying Encapsulation of Probiotics for Functional Food Formulation-A Review

Health consciousness coupled with enhanced health care cost has led consumer’s inclination towards functional foods. Documented health benefits have projected probiotics as a new functional ingredient in the current era of self-care and complementary medicine. It has been established that the probiotic viability is necessary for the exhibition of health benefits but is lost during processing, storage and gastrointestinal transit. Probiotic viability can be retained with the adoption of spray drying encapsulation technique and better survival of the encapsulated probiotics than the free cells in the food matrix have been reported. Major challenges faced during the encapsulation of probiotic by spray drying are modulation of processing parameter, selection of probiotic strains and coating materials and stability during gastric transit. Proper selection of probiotic strains and cell wall materials, modulation of technological parameters of spray drying and storage conditions would yield spray dried encapsulated probiotics with greater viability. Spray dried encapsulated probiotics had higher viability than free cells and its supplementation may be a practical alternative for better retention of viability and functionality of probiotics during the formulation of functional foods.

Impact of different drying methods on proximate and mineral composition of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida)

Mushrooms well known for their delicacy and flavor are highly perishable due their high moisture content. In this study the changes in proximate and mineral components of oyster mushroom in response to 6 drying methods, viz., sun, solar, oven, microwave, freeze and osmotic drying were studied. The moisture and ash content of dried oyster mushrooms ranged from 8.84 to 5.16% and 8.12 to 9.37%, respectively. The highest crude protein of 23.74% was recorded for freeze dried oyster mushroom while as highest crude fiber content of 25.38% was found in microwave dried samples. On comparing the mineral content of dried oyster mushroom, freeze dried oyster mushroom recorded highest iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium content of 5.10, 16.12 and 2309.01 mg/100 g, respectively while least iron, magnesium and potassium content of 3.80, 15.06 and 1394.38 mg/100 g, respectively was observed in sun dried oyster mushroom. The study concluded better retention of proximate components in freeze dried oyster mushroom while as sun drying resulted in greater loss of nutrients. The best dried oyster mushroom can be used in formulation of functional foods conferring health benefits.

Identification and in vitro evaluation of probiotic attributes of lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented food sources.

Consumer's vigilance towards health-promoting foods beyond only taste and nutrition has increased the recognition for probiotic products. In the present study, various parameters have been studied to define the probiotic properties of cultures isolated from different fermented products. Around 118 samples were selectively screened for antimicrobial compound (AMC) producing isolates by overlay-plate assay using Micrococcus luteus ATCC9341. Among 134 zone producing isolates, 48 cultures showing Gram-positive, catalase negative, non-spore forming and non-motile rods and cocci were selected. Subsequently, 18 strains were chosen based on non-hemolytic, absence of biogenic amine production, gelatinase and lecithinase negative trait for safer isolates. These were identified by biochemical assays and then subjected to RAPD-PCR. The selected cultures DB-1aa, DB-b2-15b, Cu2-PM7, Cu3-PM8 and IB-pM15 were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing as Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus plantarum, and two Lactobacillus fermentum, respectively. Several in vitro experiments were carried out including acid and bile tolerance, survival under simulated gastrointestinal condition, adhesion assay to evaluate the probiotic potential of the isolates. In addition, the isolates were studied for competent properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant activity, and enzyme production for their functional application. The results of the study prove the efficiency of selected isolates as potential probiotic cultures and hence can be recommended for application in any functional food formulations.